Wireless connectivity - serial plus digital I/O ?

Hi Group,

I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured for
digital I/O.

I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and control
some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.

Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as to
how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements are
NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.

Thanks very much in advance.

S. Harnek

a few interesting links :
http://www.radiocrafts.com/
http://www.xemics.com/internet/products/series.jsp?productID=9
http://www.rfm.com/RFMhtmlie.htm
http://www.shortrangedevices.co.uk/
...

"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> a &#4294967295;crit dans le message de news:
c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> Hi Group,
>
> I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured
for
> digital I/O.
>
> I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
control
> some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
> now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.
>
> Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as
to
> how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements are
> NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
>
> Thanks very much in advance.
>
> S. Harnek
>
>

"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
news:c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
control
> some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
> now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.

Maybe look into Bluetooth modems (hint: TDK).

Steve
http://www.sfdesign.co.uk
http://www.fivetrees.com

"Fred*" <tmp@mail.com> wrote in message news:<c6i9cl$cfe$1@news-reader2.wanadoo.fr>...
> a few interesting links :
> http://www.radiocrafts.com/
> http://www.xemics.com/internet/products/series.jsp?productID=9
> http://www.rfm.com/RFMhtmlie.htm
> http://www.shortrangedevices.co.uk/
> ...
> 
> "S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> a &#4294967295;crit dans le message de news:
> c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> > Hi Group,
> >
> > I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> > controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> > connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured
>  for
> > digital I/O.
> >
> > I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
>  control
> > some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
> > now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> > about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.

We are working on a project with similar requirements.  Wifi and
Bluetooth are overkill for us.  we are looking into building a Micrel
500 module.  It uses the 700MHz to 1.1 GHz ISM band for up to 128K
bps.  The chip is much cheaper ($5) and easiler to interface (just
serial port).  Contact me (epl) if you want a sample layout (approx 1"
square), CF style.

> >
> > Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as
>  to
> > how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements are
> > NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
> >
> > Thanks very much in advance.
> >
> > S. Harnek
> >
> >

I looked at some modules a bit ago...Found a nice self-contained one at
www.maxstream.net.  The xstream modules come ready to go (as I read it.)
I've yet to pull the trigger on them though.

At the embedded systems conf here a few weeks ago, I found a bunch of
companies into the new ZigBee stuff (802.15.4).  Seemed like folks didn't
quite have the complete integrated device yet (RF, processor, external
serial interface), but there were people there happy to do the work for you.
Could be the next Big Thing...

"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
news:c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> Hi Group,
>
> I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured
for
> digital I/O.
>
> I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
control
> some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
> now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.
>
> Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as
to
> how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements are
> NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
>
> Thanks very much in advance.
>
> S. Harnek
>
>

Hi  again,

I am not sure I gave a clear idea about one aspect of my request: I need the
product to be external for now - connecting via the rs232 DB9 port. Steve's
link in his reply looks like it is one possibility. Any others I can compare
with ?

Thanks again,
Harnek

"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
news:c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> Hi Group,
>
> I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured
for
> digital I/O.
>
> I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
control
> some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
> now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.
>
> Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as
to
> how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements are
> NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
>
> Thanks very much in advance.
>
> S. Harnek
>
>

Sorry guys,

I meant to say the link in Dave's reply.

Too much coffee - too little time to drink it ! How does one go about
submitting a RFC ? Need more than 24 hours in a day <g> !

Regards,
Harnek


"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
news:c6kn3n$q39$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> Hi  again,
>
> I am not sure I gave a clear idea about one aspect of my request: I need
the
> product to be external for now - connecting via the rs232 DB9 port.
Steve's
> link in his reply looks like it is one possibility. Any others I can
compare
> with ?
>
> Thanks again,
> Harnek
>
> "S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
> news:c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> > Hi Group,
> >
> > I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> > controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> > connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured
> for
> > digital I/O.
> >
> > I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
> control
> > some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring
but
> > now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> > about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.
> >
> > Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as
> to
> > how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements
are
> > NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
> >
> > Thanks very much in advance.
> >
> > S. Harnek
> >
> >
>
>

Another option might be http://www.needhams.com/qc232.html.  I've used the
Needhams programmers for years (gulp, over a decade), and they've been
great.  Just happened to notice that above module on their website a bit
ago.  But, sounds like you want it packaged in a nice little box.

I did see some prepackaged stuff at b&b
(http://www.bb-elec.com/product.asp?sku=X09-009PKC-RA&dept_id=152).  Never
used them though.

"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
news:c6knc5$q7a$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> Sorry guys,
>
> I meant to say the link in Dave's reply.
>
> Too much coffee - too little time to drink it ! How does one go about
> submitting a RFC ? Need more than 24 hours in a day <g> !
>
> Regards,
> Harnek
>
>
> "S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
> news:c6kn3n$q39$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> > Hi  again,
> >
> > I am not sure I gave a clear idea about one aspect of my request: I need
> the
> > product to be external for now - connecting via the rs232 DB9 port.
> Steve's
> > link in his reply looks like it is one possibility. Any others I can
> compare
> > with ?
> >
> > Thanks again,
> > Harnek
> >
> > "S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
> > news:c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> > > Hi Group,
> > >
> > > I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> > > controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> > > connections available are serial ports and one parallel port
configured
> > for
> > > digital I/O.
> > >
> > > I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
> > control
> > > some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring
> but
> > > now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively
short -
> > > about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.
> > >
> > > Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details
as
> > to
> > > how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements
> are
> > > NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
> > >
> > > Thanks very much in advance.
> > >
> > > S. Harnek
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

"S. Harnek" <harnek@magix.com.sg> wrote in message
news:c6i5uo$9me$1@reader01.singnet.com.sg...
> Hi Group,
>
> I have a connectivity problem to resolve for a prototype project. The
> controller is already installed: a 386 type running ROMDOS. The ONLY
> connections available are serial ports and one parallel port configured
for
> digital I/O.
>
> I need to connect to some serial port devices as well as monitor and
control
> some other devices via discrete DI/O. Currently I run physical wiring but
> now it needs to be wireless. The actual distances are relatively short -
> about 50 to 100 ft but no physical wiring is permitted.
>
> Does anyone on the group have any ideas and links or supplier details as
to
> how this can be accomplished. Thankfully, space and power requirements are
> NOT a problem - just costs and reliability.
>
> Thanks very much in advance.
>
> S. Harnek
>
>

Try  http://www.bb-elec.com/